If there has been no X-ray done, how can I tell if my dog is finished having puppies or is in trouble?

Question

My dog is in labor now, and we found out about it too late to get an X-ray done. She is a small dog and did not get very big. I am worried about how to tell if she has more puppies inside. What are the physiological symptoms? My husband and I will have her spayed as soon after the whelping as is safe, so please don't scold about spaying and neutering. What's done is done. I would appreciate any friendly help!

Answer 1

She wont go out of labor if there are ones stuck inside. As for those who are telling you to feel her belly, you cant feel babies that are inside the birth canal. She will go into a rest period but the labor will continue as long as puppies are inside. Otherwise watch for discharge in the next days. If there is dark brown chunky, profuse discharge, or green and it is coming out in globs, if she is running a high fever, or not seeming to get comfortable or rest with the new litter. Give you vet a call they can do an X-ray after the majority of the pups are born. Generally it takes only a few hours to have all the pups, but every female is diffrent. I had a foster dog who had 15 puppies in 6 hours, She seemed totally done and when i woke up from an exhausting night the 16th was born sometime while i was sleeping. The next month I had a dog that took 9 hours to have 3 puppies and we had to have the vet deliver the 4th c-section. So nothing is ever 100%.

Answer 2

You will be able to tell by her behavior when she is done she will settle. If she still appears in labor and hour after the last pup you have a problem and needs an emergency visit. If everything goes fine take her in for a routine post whelp check tomorrow. Your vet will palpate her uterus, and can tell if she has a retained pup or other tissue. He/she will also give her an injection to help her uterus return to normal size and expel any retained tissue.
When you go bring her and her pups the vet will check out the hole family. Not every pregnant dog needs an X-Ray and it is till sometimes difficult to tell exactly how many so stop beating yourself up about what you didn't do.

Answer 3

Most that everyone is correct. Puppies can be up to one hour apart, but as soon as ten minutes. The writer who said most are about 30 minutes is accurate. If she still has puppies in her she will continue to strain and push with no results if there is a problem.
Gently palapate her belly. Puppies will feel like harder type lumps in side her. If she is being a good mom and mothering the puppies she already has (licking, feeding, etc) without looking like she is any sort of distress.
She will be fine I am sure. I raise purebred shih tzus and have only had a problem with one females in the last 10litters.
Good Luck.

Answer 4

Puppies can be born up to an hour apart. Usually it's more like 30 minutes. If you notice that she is continuing to strain, but no pup is born, then there's have a problem. Sometimes she will expel the puppy half way and then nothing happens, but this is rare. Just stay calm and leave her alone in a quiet place, checking on her occasionally, but don't hover. Let nature take it's course!

Answer 5

you did not say how many puppies the dog has had already of what kind of dog. but it really doesn't matter dogs have been giving birth without mans help for a long time. I think from your question you may be worried about a unborn puppy remaining in the dog. don't overly concern yourself about this. Usually dogs give birth over about a two hour period, although this varies usually not by much. I would watch your dog for any kind of excess fluids or any type of over extension of the vaginal area ( like extended pushing etc.) but this will manifest itself after the two hour period. usually there will not be any type of problem giving birth ..unless you have a dog that has been known to have this type of problem, you should be fine

Answer 6

Just don't leave her side even if you have to stay up for hours to watch her. There could be lulls between pups. If she seems to be distressed, call your vet or the emergency vet. Keep her in a quiet, warm place. Don't let a bunch of people near her. She will take them out of the membrane, but maybe you'll want to help with that and through it and the afterbirth in the trash. Get some rubber gloves, some old towels, paper towels, garbage bag and coffee for you. You can kind of rub the pups once you get them out of the membrane and put them by the nipples. If milk doesn't come in, you'll have to get some small bottles and milk replacer. Just console her and call for help if you need to.

Answer 7

Feel around the tummy area very gently and see if you can feel anything. Sometimes the inside will kind of know up and it feels like there is another one and there isn't. Wait an hour and check her again, see if it feels the same. Also if she still has pups she should be still trying to push and may want to pee more often than normal. Congrats on the new family and hope all is well.

Answer 8

You simple boil the water and wait. Animals are very good at telling you about the nature of things to come.
She will come into season 2 times per year and usually is good to breed right after the blood turns from bright red to darker red or stops altogether. She will usually bleed for 1 1/2 weeks or so. All dogs are different.

Answer 9

If she starts to clean up and looks finished then just assume that she's done, but keep a watchful eye on her! When my dog had pups she cleaned up we got everything clean and she started nursing and then about 20 minutes later she had another pup. If she has problems of any kind get her to the vet or emergency clinic ASAP!!!! There could be something wrong and she may need help. Good luck and keep us posted!!

Answer 10

Hope this helps a little. A small dog usually only has 1-3 puppies because of their size. It can take hours for all them to come out, watch for changes in behavior.